


Accept Me For Who I Am

by Hawkes_Beginning0



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-03
Updated: 2015-11-20
Packaged: 2018-04-29 17:18:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5136116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hawkes_Beginning0/pseuds/Hawkes_Beginning0
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Krem didn't like sharing his true identity to a lot of people, and to the people who knew, he absolutely trusted. The Inquisitor was curious as to what Krem hid from her half of the time when they talked about sexuality, and what possibly could happen between them; so one day when Inquisitor Lavellan proved how much Krem could really trust her, they bonded more than just physically.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The Inquisitor accepting Krem for who he truly is and who he truly wants to be. <3

Being the Inquisitor wasn't the easiest thing to be, especially when half of Thedas thought you were a joke, and the other blamed you if you didn't do a good enough job saving the world and its people. Being the Inquisitor also meant you got to pick and choose who were your allies and your foes. Inquisitor Lavellan was particular of who she allowed into her heart, and who she wouldn't trust ever again. Her closest allies were Cassandra, The Iron Bull, and of course, Varric; they stood by her and worried about her constantly, and she did the same for them. The Iron Bull didn't mind her worrying about him, but he appreciated it especially when she took time to become the mother for the Chargers instead of him.

The Iron Bull made sure they were good during battle, the Inquisitor was there for them more so emotionally than physically. No one really went to her for problems, but she took a specific liking to one Charger member in particular; his name was Krem, and Krem was incredibly charming and too adorable to ignore. The man constantly teased Bull for everything he did, and the Qunari warrior wasn't afraid to throw some horrible puns Krems way, which was very entertaining to watch. The two of them worked great together, yet it pained the Inquisitor to know she wasn't as trusted as their Boss was. 

Krem was sweet towards her and was very open to them engaging in a meaningful conversation, but besides knowing he loved teasing Bull and was just overall very polite and witty, she knew nothing important about him. Important meaning things he did in his past, or who his family was, or hell, what kind of HOBBIES he had. The last time that the Inquisitor was so close to someone ended up with a large argument, and a scar across her cheek that resembled one close to Cassandra's. She didn't like letting someone in her heart to only have them hurt her in the end, or her do the same to the poor soul that fell in love with her. 

It had been years since she had earned the scar on her cheek, and yet when people asked her she was very honest about it. Even the Iron Bull had asked bluntly about it, and when she told him, he instantly said he respected her a lot more to know she had beat the shit out of somebody that hurt her, and mistreated her trust. The elf woman wasn't a badass, she didn't want to brag, but she sort of had every right to. She wondered what Krem would say if he ever asked about it? The man glanced at her scar before, or so she thought, and she was curious as to why he never wanted to get personal with her. The Inquisitor liked personal talks, so talking with him would be somewhat of a challenge.

The dark, red haired Inquisitor crossed her arms to her chest and looked over Skyhold as the flames that allowed the others to see were very obvious in the night. It looked beautiful, almost like a painting; Skyhold was like a kingdom that was simply abandoned because people couldn't handle it's beauty. It was okay though, because the Inquisition overtook it and made it look the way it did now. It was their kingdom, their destiny.

The woman jerked slightly as her peace was disturbed, and she looked over her shoulder to see the large Qunari warrior, The Iron Bull, looking at her with a slightly worried expression. The Inquisitors face softened and she raised an eyebrow, curious as to why Bull looked so worried. It wasn't like him to be that way, so she turned around and shook her head, smiling weakly, but he frowned and looked down onto the ground.

"Bull? What's wrong, this isn't like you?" Ryain murmured, her eyes narrowed suspiciously as she looked over Bull's face, trying to find some hint as to what could've made him feel so bad. Bull sighed deeply and raised his large hands, only to drop them to his hips, and then with a frustrated grunt he quickly rubbed his face.

"I don't know what to do anymore, Kadan. They're driving me crazy; KREM is driving me crazy. He won't speak to me about anything that's going on, but I know for sure there's something wrong. He got a letter not to long ago, and since then he's shut himself down. I don't know what I can do for him... Just, talk to him- please? We need him focused and ready to fight." Bull stated firmly, not trying to be a dick, but the Inquisitor could obviously see he was trouble. Ryain sighed and then rubbed the back of her neck, before smiling softly and nodded,

"I'll talk to him, but I'm just warning you, we're not that close," The Inquisitor began to warn the Iron Bull, before biting the inside of her cheek, but the man waved his hand around to make her stop talking, and she quickly stopped so he could interrupt her,

"I know you aren't close, but just trust me when I say he'll come around and end up talking to you rather than anyone else in our group." Bull stated, and then he walked off, adjusting the large hammer that rested against his back and he headed down the large stairway and into the flat grounds of Skyhold. The woman breathed out deeply and closed her eyes, hanging her head back, and then she took it upon herself to fix the collar of her button up and then headed down the stairs as well. The Inquisitor headed towards the drinking hub, and gently opened the door and peaked inside, seeing elves and humans sitting down, laughing and drinking and some even dancing, and then there was Krem, sitting in the far side of the room, head in his hands. 

With a worried sigh, Ryain made her way over, motioning for the singer to keep doing her thing and to keep everyone distracted so they wouldn't watch what was going on between Krem and the Inquisitor. Once Ryain reached the attractive male, she awkwardly stood there and slightly dug her toes into the wooden floor, trying to find the words to say that wouldn't make the man before her want to push her away. Yet, as she opened her mouth and began to make struggling noises, Krem glanced up slightly, frowning and raising an eyebrow.

Ryain's eyes widened and she swallowed the lump that was starting to form in the back of her throat. Her lips parted, before she began to stutter out, "Bull was worried about you and asked me to check on you... I uh, know you probably don't want to see me right now, but uh, are you okay?" 

Krem looked over the woman before him, a blank expression on his face as he did so. It made the Inquisitor nervous, just with a simple glance, and she turned her head and tried to make her cheeks start flushing from embarrassment. Krem let out a weak laugh, before sighing and he leaned back against the chair, swishing the drink in his hand around before taking a sip of it.

"Do you want me to tell you the truth, or what you want to hear?" Krem murmured in his slightly feminine, yet husky voice. Ryain bit her lip, before finding her way next to him and left space in between them. She rested her hand against his knee gently and shook her head, smiling weakly, before muttering, "I just want you to be open to me."

Krem looked at her quickly, a surprised gleam resting in his pretty, almost hazel eyes. The Inquisitor bit the inside of her cheek and glanced up into his eyes, raising a slim eyebrow. Her cheeks flushed once more, and then she quickly pulled her hand away and let it clench into a fist. She allowed it to rest onto her own lap, and then a sigh slipped from her lips as she began to relax. Krem looked away casually, before sighing as well and ran his fingers through his styled hair, then looked over at the nervous red head, 

"It's not that easy, y'know? Adjusting to surroundings you're not really used to and trying to be comfortable with yourself." 

Ryain listened to the man, not looking at him but only listened, and her head hung and she rested her chin into the palm of her hand, resting her elbow against her knee. She felt her heart quickened its pace against her chest as she could feel Krem start to shift a bit closer to her now, but she held her ground and closed her eyes, now feeling his arm brush against her own. The woman shuddered and held still as the man leaned closer, slightly breathing against her ear. From where she was, she could obviously smell the faint scent of alcohol lingering on the warrior, and now she realized he was intoxicated. 

"How did you become comfortable with yourself?" Krem murmured against her pointed ear, eyes fluttering shut, before leaning back slightly and tilted his head lazily, looking over the elf woman. The Inquisitor glanced over, trying to seem like she wasn't phased by his teasing actions, and she sighed and composed herself, before saying, "I never had to become comfortable with myself, unless you're talking about me being a mage. It runs in my family, sort of like Hawke and Bethany... I sort of had no choice, I could choose to ignore my destiny and my blood that ran through out my family, or I could embrace my gifts and tweak them. I didn't have to really fix anything." 

The man looked at her curiously, before smirking, and he began to laugh lightly, making the Inquisition leader look over at him in shock. She looked around, glad no one was really watching them, and then she nervously began to tug lightly at the collar of her button up suit top. Krem giggled now, and then looked over the woman with a flushed expression, looking through his long eyelashes. Ryain's jaw clenched slightly and turned her head as Krem moved closer, looking over the details in her shirt.

"Krem, you really need to get going to your quarters. You're drunk, even Bull-," "I don't want to hear about Bull right now. He wouldn't make me feel better, even if he really knew what was going on right now. Thank you for trying, but I think I just want to stay here by myself." He ordered another drink, the tavern girl shooting him a quick wink, and he bit his lip slightly and watched her sway her hips as she walked away. The Inquisitors eye twitched slightly, before she composed herself and then stood up, adjusting herself before shaking her head and turned around.

"Fine, then I'll let you stay here and drown out your problems. If you need me, you know where to find me." The woman gave up and sighed, her heart aching after seeing the flirting scene unfold before her. Krem didn't even know she sort of, maybe, liked him; to him, she was just a comrade in battle but to her, he was someone that was very important to her. It would kill her if she had ever lost him to anyone or anything. 

The man looked over, watching the slim elven woman walk off with dignity and pride, her head tilted back and held high. Krem licked his lips, before sighing deeply, and then he wobbled slightly and got up, his armor suddenly feeling like the weight of the world on his shoulders, "Wait, Inquisitor!" The woman looked back at him and stopped in her tracks, batting her eyelashes innocently as she waited for his response. Krem sighed dramatically and then held out his hand, swallowing the lump in his throat, and he tiredly looked at her with a weak smile.

"Lead me back to my quarters, I don't think I'd be able to handle myself here."

Ryain sighed in relief and then casually walked towards him, gently taking his larger hand in her own, and then gently led him out of the tavern, shuddering slightly at the cool breeze that hit her slightly damp skin. It was warm in there, and it made Krem's hair slightly stick to his forehead. "Just let me lead you, I promise you won't fall or anything..." It was easier said than done, after the Inquisitor went to his side and let him lean on her, he allowed all of his weight to press against her. He wasn't a big guy or anything, just full of muscle and he still had his armor on. Krem groaned softly, his eyelashes fluttering, and he turned his head and brushed the tip of his nose against her temple. The woman didn't stop to acknowledge what he had done, but she rolled her eyes and helped haul him up a flight of stone stairs.

"Here- finally, you're here-," "No, tuck me in. I miss the feeling of being tucked in." The man suddenly corrected Ryain eagerly, grasping onto her hand tightly, and then she looked at him in shock. The man looked concerned all of a sudden, and he winced and closed his eyes, his other hand going to his head and the hand that had hold of her own now went to his face. The Inquisitor whined and gently wrapped her lean arm around his thick waist, before helping him through the corridor, and then past the many sleeping, drunken figures. She helped Krem sit down onto his bed, sighing softly and pressed her hand against his slightly sweaty forehead. "You're just going to be really hung over in the morning; here, let me help you-," "NO!" Krem snapped quickly as the woman leaned forward to try and help him take off his armor. The man hurried away from her touch, his eyes wide and he let out a nervous breath, trembling slightly. The woman stared at him in shock, frozen in her tracks as she looked over the man. She slowly pulled away and took a step back, before her jaw clenched and she crossed her arms across her chest. "I'm really not a fan of starting drama, but-," "Go away, just... Please, go away. I can't do this, especially not with you." Krem hissed softly, slurring his words slightly as he tried to lay down onto his side. Ryain let out a frustrated sigh, before beginning to pace alongside his bed, and his almost passed out figure. She growled and then took a chair that sat in the corner, and then pulled it by his bed and planted herself down onto it. The Inquisitor crossed one leg over the other and she took in a deep breath as she tried to find the words to say, "If you hate me, just say so. I don't want to play any games with you, Krem." Both began to grow silent as the man didn't even look at her, only buried his face into the pillow. Krem usually wasn't that shy, but he was obviously uncomfortable with something, and Ryain was really concerned it was something she had said or done to him. The woman reached over and took a towel, before gently patting it along the man's skin, making him flinch lightly. He didn't pull away that time, and that made the Inquisitor feel better. Krem slowly looked up at the woman that was patting off the sweat to help him cool down, and while doing so, he batted his eyelashes innocently and then murmured, "You're a beautiful sight, you know that, right?" The woman froze for a moment, before going back to padding at his skin. Her cheeks flushed, but the only way he could tell was if the candle light hit her face directly. Her eyes closed and she smiled weakly, then rested the used towel onto the bedside table. The compliment made her heart race, yet it made her mind so confused, and she only wanted answers that drunk Krem couldn't currently answer. She leaned down and gently kissed his forehead, before getting up and gently pushed the chair back in its place with her leg. Her voice quivered slightly as she murmured, "Goodnight, Krem. Please drink some water when you wake up." As Ryain began to leave, she felt something, or more so SOMEONE grab her wrist. She was yanked back, and she gasped softly as she fell back against the soft blankets that laid amongst the bed. Her heart raced against her chest and she held still as Krem nervously breathed against her cheek, and then he leaned over her, his elbow bent and rested by her head against the pillow they now shared. Her lips parted, staring into Krem's dark eyes, and then quickly down at his plump lips, then back at his eyes again. Krem stared into her eyes the whole time, letting in a sharp breath, before leaning in slowly. Both of their eyes closed, and as their noses touched, the elf almost slammed their lips together. Yet when she was considering the offer, her eyes widened as weight pressed against her, and she heard the sound of faint snoring coming from the man that was pinning her down, and asleep on top of her. Ryain had a low growl escape from the back of her throat, and then she clenched her jaw and closed her eyes as she gently tried to push the heavy weight off of her, which ended up failing very much so. Ryain sighed deeply and then turned her head, feeling Krem's heart beat against her stomach as his arms made way around her slim torso. He cuddled into her stomach, still asleep, and he continued to snore but just a tad louder than before. "Krem, you're certainly going to make me question everything I believe in. You're lucky I want you so much." The Inquisitor hissed softly, mainly just to herself, so after a moment of silence she began to drift off and fell asleep, despite of the slightly awkward position the two of them were in on the bed. Yet of course what the Inquisitor forgot was that the Iron Bull, leader of the Chargers, also shared the quarters with them all. Instead of being asleep, he heard everything, and yes, that meant the part when Kadan confessed she wanted the transgender man.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all who bookmarked and kudosed the first chapter! I love all of your support and it means a lot! I hope you continue to enjoy this short story! :)

The cool air that went through the small rectangular windows began to make the Inquisitor shudder, waking her up soon after that. When she went to move her head, she winced slightly at the achiness that arose in her neck- then she began to sat up, not even noticing that no one else was with her in the room. Ryain's eyes widened, and she quickly looked around and bolted off of the twin sized bed when she realized everyone probably noticed she was there with them for the whole night. The elven woman let out a shaky breath, and she cursed under her breath and rubbed her arms, trying to come to terms that Krem probably woke up and freaked out. The Inquisitor swallowed the lump that formed in her throat, and then she quickly pulled on her boots and stormed out of the Chargers quarters and into the cool air. 

 

Ryain pushed her hair back and when she grazed her hands along her face, she looked down and made a disgusted face, (similar to one Cassandra makes), noticing that all of her makeup was smeared along her cheeks. The woman, with a embarrassed expression, hurried down the stone stairway and ignored the greetings she earned from Skyholds soldiers and townspeople. She walked with her back straight, but her head was slightly bowed with her hand covering half of her face. What was Bull thinking right now? Ryain didn't want any inappropriate thoughts running to his head, and knowing him, that was probably happening as she thought it at the very moment. When she reached her sanctuary, she headed into the warmer building and let out a breath, being greeted with Josephine. The dark skinned woman looked up from her paper she usually always had, and she politely excused herself from a soldier. 

"Ah, Inquisitor! You are rather... Dashing this morning, aren't you?" Josephine paused and tried to make an effort to smile, looking amongst the Inquisitors tired frame. Ryain glared at her and her eye twitched, before she grabbed Josephine's arm and drug her along to the ambassador's office. When they finally reached it, the elf sighed and let go of the worried Josephine, and crossed her arms to her chest. The Ambassador frowned and tilted her head, before reaching out and reassuringly rubbed the elf's back, "Are you alright? What happened to you, you seem all shaken up," Ryain frowned and gripped onto her arms, lowering her head and her jaw clenched stubbornly, and the woman once again spoke,

"Who did this to you?"

The Inquisitor was quiet, before she eventually raised her head and sniffed, tears filling her eyes. She felt like a child that couldn't have what she wanted, and that frustrated her to no end. Josephine smiled softly and gently put her things onto her desk, before walking towards Ryain and opened her arms toward her. Ryain looked her over for a moment, before she groaned in frustration and slammed into her, making the other woman grunt but she felt gentle arms wrap her up. The Inquisitor didn't realize she was crying until she hugged back, her face buried into the Ambassador's shoulder. 

"I feel like I'm torn in such a way I didn't know existed. I hate feeling like I'm a burden." The Inquisitor croaked into the material of Josephine's golden sleeves, and the woman's accent fluently snapped at her in such an vivid way,

"Inquisitor, may I say that you are FAR from a burden. Don't ever say that; why do you?" Josephine sighed deeply and held the elf close, before going quiet to listen. Ryain sighed deeply, and then her cheeks flushed when she muttered, "I slept with Krem."

Josephine and the Inquisitor were both silent, before Josephine started laughing, and the Inquisitor stuttered and quickly pulled away from her as her face turned red and her eyes were wide. Her hands frantically flew around, trying to do something and the woman finally covered her face and groaned, "It's not like that! I swear! Maker's breath I can't even speak without making sense!"

The darker skinned woman laughed and covered her mouth, before looking over the flustered Inquisitor before her. She grinned, and then shook her head as she raised an eyebrow. "Lady Inquisitor, I reassure you there is nothing wrong about what you just said... Krem though, huh? I'm interested to see where this leads. I always thought you were interested in Cullen." Josephine replied honestly, budding out her bottom lip. Ryain blushed once more and her eyes narrowed, before shrugging and rose her head, sighing and thanking the other woman lightly as she was handed a pot with some water in it. She took a cloth and dabbed her face, wiping any trace of makeup away.

"I was when we first moved to Skyhold, then I started looking at Krem; then things just started to go down hill. Not really in a bad way, I'm just worried all I do is creep Krem out. All I want to do his grab his face and yell how much he means to me, but yet I feel as we're not even close. I don't know if he really trusts me." The inquisitor wiped her face with a dry cloth, and then sighed as she sat down by Josephine's fireplace, shuddering at the pleasant feeling of warmth. Josephine sat at her desk and sighed, before taking her writing utensil and paper and started to write once more,

"You are a beautiful woman, Lady Lavellan. Any man who doesn't see that would be a fool. If he doesn't see anything particular in you, then that is his loss, not yours. What particularly interests you about him?" Josephine asked curiously, not looking up from her paper. Ryain pursed her lips and looked into the fire, pursing her lips and muttering, "I'm not really sure. Everything, I suppose? Krem has this certain THING about him that makes me very curious. I feel like if I got to close to the fire, that I'd become burned."

After a moment of silence, Ryain found her way back onto her feet, smoothed out her outfit, and then she headed towards the door that would lead to the War Room hall. She turned her head and bit the inside of her cheek, and then muttered, "What do you suppose I do?"

Josephine glanced up from her paperwork, and then sighed as she put down her pen and crossed her fingers together, resting her hands onto her desk. The woman took a deep breath, before closing her eyes and saying, "Don't let this interfere with your work. Let it inspire you instead, and don't ever let him go. Even if he doesn't, or maybe he does, like you- you can't take it too seriously. You have a world to save."

Of course, the Inquisitor will always have situations blocking her from experiencing personal treasuries. She was a hero, some say she was sent by Andrestate herself to end the war between the dead and the living. It made her frustrated, and sometimes she thought to herself, 'what if I never had never gone to help the Divine?'. Her hand wouldn't have ended up with a large scar, she wouldn't have the burden of being everyone's savior... Yet she enjoyed it at the same time. Perhaps everything was meant to be, and for that she'll keep letting whatever God existed lead her through the future.  

The Inquisitor smirked, before opening the door to the War Room and called out, "Thank you, Lady Ambassador."

* * *

 

The rest of the day went smoothly, there really were no missions that Ryain needed to finish at the moment. It was weird to have free time, and when she did, she usually spent it doing something productive- or simply watching Cullen try and train his soldiers. With a smile, the elf crossed her leg over the other and tilted her head, her side shaved red hair glistening in the soft sun light. Her lips pursed as the blonde snapped at one of his men for not holding a shield right, and then slander words slipped from his lips as he covered his face in frustration. The Inquisitor sighed softly and her eyelashes fluttered as the feeling of relaxation filled her to the brim. Her head turned as she saw Sera talking with Varric, both of them sharing amused glances and giggles as they looked around. Ryain raised an eyebrow, her eyes narrowed and she snorted softly; she knew when the both of them talked, it usually meant they were either planning something or just discussing something rather disturbing.

A soft voice interrupted her thoughts, and she looked over her shoulder and found the elf woman, Dalish, standing there with a flushed expression. With an awkward frown and a quick look around, the Inquisitor slowly got up and smoothed out her battle enchanters cloak that she was too lazy to change out of. She headed Dalish's way, and the blonde straightened out her back and tried to seem like she was respective of who she was standing in front of. Dalish nervously let out a breath, before muttering, "May I ask what you were doing in our quarters last night? I didn't bother asking at the time because I thought Bull talked to you about it, but I'm the only one with balls to ask you- so, what are your intentions?"

Ryain stared at the other elf blankly before her cheeks turned red, and she scoffed and pushed her hair back, waving her hand. "We didn't 'sleep' together, if that's what you're presuming. I don't have any intentions; my goal is to simply turn Skyhold into a strong-," "Yeah yeah, I get that. All the Inquisitor bullshit; but REALLY, what are your intentions?"

The Inquisitor narrowed her eyes and made an annoyed grunt, before turning her head and thought for a moment. A smirk came to her lips, and then she sarcastically laughed and raised an eyebrow, a hand resting on her hips, "Oh, I'm not sure? I thought getting to know someone better was rather normal?" Ryain's smirk grew as she saw Dalish grow flustered, her cheeks now a soft pink and her bottom lip butted out- her arms now crossed to her chest. The Inquisitor wasn't scared, she was rather amused by what the mage was getting at. Dalish sighed, before pointing her finger at the Inquisitor and said sternly,

"I don't want you messing with Krem. We need his head in the game, and we need him fighting. We don't need the horned bastard up our asses for allowing one of our own to get himself into danger over a _girl._  I'm sure you understand our concern?" Now Dalish smirked, seeing Ryain's eye twitch in frustration, and then she casually pinched the bridge of her nose while shaking her head. The Inquisitor's jaw clenched and she found herself trying very hard not to get in the blonde's face. Instead, Ryain took a deep breath, raised her hands and allowed them to drop to her sides, before lifting her cloak and stepping over a puddle.

"Krem can handle himself, I'm sure if he had any problem he'd tell one of you. So please, don't bother trying to give me a lecture." Inquisitor Lavellan muttered, eyeing Dalish with a slightly cold gleam, and the other elf shuddered and looked away suddenly as she felt herself being stared down. Dalish let out a shaky breath, before whispering, "You don't know what he's going through. You just don't, and if you did, maybe you'd care as much as I do."

Dalish turned around and began to walk off, but as she did so the Inquisitor lifted her black hood that had a rim of fur along it- then, she frowned and watched the blonde closely. Her lips parted, and she loudly state, "Then I don't see the problem of you telling me what is wrong?" That's all the woman ever wanted to know about Krem; because deep inside his witty, charming personality, he's a kind hearted person that takes things seriously when at the appropriate time and place. Dalish looked over with a blank expression, before scoffing and let out an eye roll. She began to walk away once more, and then adjusted the staff that everyone insisted on calling a bow that was resting on her back,

"I guess you'll just have to find out." 

* * *

 

The smell of rain had always calmed the Inquisitor, especially when she was stressed, which seemed to happen more than less. The elf sat on one of the stone steps that led up to the Skyhold castle, and her large green eyes roamed the darkened sky. Thunder boomed, making the ground shake slightly, and the sight of lightning happened shortly after. Ryain sighed softly, smiling with content as she shuddered. The cool air hit against her slightly warm skin, and she left her hood down as the rain started to pour down upon her. Fire sparked from her hand, and in the other, her mark flashed in an attempt to withstand the feeling of water being poured on it. 

In slight pain, Ryain clenched her hand into a fist, and then pressed her in flame hand down onto the cool stone step besides her. The fire shortly went out, a stream of smoke following suit, and the Inquisitor felt her jaw clench in an attempt to hold back a frustrated growl. Besides the rain calming her down, it was still infuriating to remember the talk she and Dalish had. Maker, it wasn't like Ryain was trying to find a way to purpose to Krem... Just was trying to find a way to TALK to him. To not sound like a fool while trying to spark up a conversation- which was very hard to do, speaking there was a big horned idiot that liked to embarrass her. 

The woman opened her eyes and felt her body jerk as she turned her head, hearing a soft clang of metal falling against the ground. She peeked over the edge of the stone steps, raising an eyebrow as she watched Varric struggle to pick up a bundle of spears and put them back against the stone stairway wall. The Inquisitor smirked, her lips curling into a playful smile afterwards as she whistled down at him. Varric quickly glanced up, and then his cheeks flushed with slight embarassment. He cleared his throat, tugging at his collar before stepping away from the crooked line of spears.

"I-er, didn't know they were there... What are you doing out here? You're going to get sick, and I know you're a mage and all, but y'know..." Varric stuttered, rubbing the back of his neck before looking up at Ryain once more. The woman smirked, raising an eyebrow, and then she got up and headed down the many stairs to where the dwarf stood. She looked down at him, before turning her head and adjusted the spears correctly along the wall.

"This is the only way I know how to feel peace nowadays, a moment when I can be alone. Rain had always calmed me, even at a young age. I'm pretty that's why I was named 'Ryain', because I feel connected with it... What are YOU doing out here?" Ryain looked down at Varric, putting a hand on her hip and she pushed her dripping wet hair back out of her face with the other. Varric sighed, before giving a charming smile and he shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Possibly the same as you. I was done writing a few letters, sending them to Fenris and Carver to let them know about Hawke's safety. Maker knows they both would kill the bloody mage if they saw him again." Varric let out a nervous laugh, imaging both of the strong willed warriors chewing out he and Hawke for allowing the dangerous mission into the Fade to happen without them. The Inquisitor let out a soft laugh, ducking her head and crossing her arms across her chest as well. A soft smile rested on her face, but it slowly started to fade as the silence between them began to grow. Varric cleared his throat, before nudging the taller figure softly.

"Are you okay? You seem a bit off." The dwarf nervously looked over his friend, leader, and overall possible adopted sibling with a frown. Ryain was quiet for a moment, before she sighed and raised her hands, then dropping them down towards her sides. Her fingers twitched, and her large eyes followed up Varric's body, before her set of eyes met his own. 

"I'm trying to be, and I guess that's something? It's hard to focus on anything, especially with this Mark eating me alive with every given moment of the bloody day." A sarcastic smirk was soon turned into a scowl by the Inquisitor, staring down at the glowing mark on her hand, and then she gripped her hand into a fist. Yet it was so much more than the pain the mark gave her, it had to be over a  _man_ , and not just any man- but  _KREM._

Varric looked her over, and then suddenly to her marked hand and tugged her along. Allowing him to do so, Varric dragged the Inquisitor up the stone stairway that led to the walkway that was near Commander Cullen's room. He sighed and let her hand go, staring over the walls of the walkway and out into the open abyss- the mountains being rained on by the harsh drops falling from the sky. It was beautiful, and as Ryain watched lightning in the distance light up the dark clouds, her lips curled into a small smile. Varric nudged her, and then pointed off into the distance at a small hole in the darkness.

Sun lit up that small bit, creating a ray of light down upon the land. It was still raining, but not in that small section. Ryain stared in silence, practically leaning over the edge to feel the sweet cool air against her face. Her red hair was blown away from her face, and her eyes were wide in awe. She grinned, biting her bottom lip and then climbed up to sit on the edge. Varric made a noise, reaching to grab her incase she were to fall, but she sassily swatted his large, bulky hand away from her. Ryain casually sat on the ledge, sighing softly and she rested her hands down in her lap. Varric and her shared a nice moment of silence, both stressed out and rather enjoying the comforting scene.

Even in the darkest of times, it was great to see the beauty of every situation coming from it. Not just that, but life in general; being positive was hard, but it was very much worth it. 

The woman turned her head to thank Varric, but she hadn't realized he had left shortly after she started staring off into the distance. She bit the inside of her cheek before watching the scene before her once more, and then she jumped and nearly DID fall off the ledge as she heard someone clearing her throat. Her cheeks flushed as she turned her head to look to the side, seeing a beautiful sight among the darkness of the world. 

Krem gave her a soft smile, running his fingers back through his dark, slightly tinted red hair that was stuck to his forehead because of the rain. Ryain parted her lips, and then she gave a shy smile as she swung her legs over and got down from the edge. She awkwardly stood there, rubbing her arm as Krem began to casually walk towards her. The charger smiled, his eyes twinkling as he neared the inquisitor, and he stopped a few feet in front of her. 

"What are you doing out here? I'm surprised you could get away from Bull and his puns." Ryain nervously giggled, ducking her head and lightly kicking the ground beneath her. Krem shrugged, smirking and looking off into the distance. He leaned against the edge and watched the scene she was staring at, and then he reached behind him and untied a necklace the inquisitor never noticed him wearing, and then dangled it over the drop. Ryain did nothing, only watched the graceful figure before her in awe. She leaned her side against the edge, raising an eyebrow as curiosity filled her. 

Then, the man dropped the accessory, watching it crash along the ground below them. Ryain quickly looked over, before looking at him questionably. She bit the inside of her cheek, before letting out a soft moan and murmured, "Why?"

Krem looked over at her, and then pushed away from the wall. "Varric told me you were up here, and that you needed to talk to me. I just felt like the necklace..." He started to drift off, swallowing a lump in his throat and he rubbed the back of his neck. The Inquisitor stared at him with a large pair of innocent eyes, and then she took a step forward.

"You don't have to tell me why if you don't want to, I won't force you-,"

"It belonged to my mom." Krem spat out quickly, his cheeks flushing slightly. The elf stared at him in shock, and then she tensed up as he moved closer as well. "I didn't want it anymore, it brought back too many memories. I didn't need that holding me back anymore."

"What was it holding you back from?" Ryain grumbled, looking up and into his pair of darkened eyes. Krem was silent, before turning his head and taking in a deep breath.

"Everything."

They shared a moment of silence, and in that moment the Inquisitor roamed her eyes over his neck, his chiseled jawline, and then his adorable features such as freckles that roamed his cheeks. Krem looked at her once more, meeting her eyes and then nervously looked down at his hands. He flexed out his long fingers, and then jerked as Ryain reached out and gently touched his cheek. The man glanced up at her quickly, his head still ducked, but he could tell how nervous she was when she swallowed.

"I've always liked the rain, it helps me forget a lot of things that try to haunt me. It feels like it's washing everything away- the worries, the agony, and the fear..." Ryain murmured, looking at his lips. Krem gulped, and then sighed as he gently pressed his forehead against hers, his own hand resting against her cheek. The two understood each other without even having to say many words, and it was a beautiful thing to realize souls didn't recognize each other by appearances. 

"I didn't think you had much fear, always thought you were brave." Krem murmured, closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath. The Inquisitor smirked and let out a soft laugh, before letting her hand drop and instead, gently gripped his wrist.

"There's a lot you don't know about me."

The Inquisitor felt Krems eyes burn into her soul as she looked down at their feet, and then suddenly she felt Krem's arms slide around her slim waist, pulling her in close. Their bodies pressed together like missing puzzle pieces, and quickly she wrapped her slender arms around his broad torso, head pressing into his chest. She could feel and hear the soft heartbeat that kept Krem alive, and she gently gripped the thin material of a shirt he wore. It was indifferent seeing him without his armor on, but it wasn't a bad thing.

"I know that you're very kind, even if you're secretly wounded on the inside. I discovered that last night- you could've just let me sleep by myself in the barracks." Krem smirked, laughing loudly as the elf quickly pulled away and then punched him in the shoulder. She growled, blushing deeply and started to brood as she pressed her crossed arms to her chest. Krem ruffled her thick, red hair with an attempt to press his hands against the Inquisitors cheeks. When he did so, she pouted and glanced up at him, raising an eyebrow as she budded out her bottom lip. Friends- it felt like they knew each other as friends for a while.

Suddenly, someone cleared their throat, and the both of them quickly jumped away from one another. Krem scowled and blushed as the Iron Bull laughed loudly, lifting a hand and pointing towards the both of them. Flames emerged from Ryains hand, and she also scowled as her eyes began to glow a soft green.

"Oh, you two will be the death of me! Tell me, when's the wedding?"

The Iron Bull loved trouble and challenges, but as he ran away from the two furious fighters, a huge grin spread on his face. Maybe now he was playing around, but as he looked over his shoulder and looked over the strong headed beings, he couldn't help but feel like one day it'd be a reality for them, and not just a joke.

Afterall, Bull liked red heads- but perhaps he'd let his precious Krem-bu-le take  _that_ one.

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**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**HEY GUYS! Thank you so much for reading! Chapter 3 will be updated sometime later this week, and I'm so so sorry it took forever to finally update this. I know it's short, but I'll make up for it in the next chapter. Now Krem and the Inquisitor sort of bonded, and it'll definitely get cuter in later chapters. Also, it'll be way more emotional. Ha-ha, I regret nothing.**

**Love you guys! Don't forget to comment and like, as well as bookmark this if you haven't already! I love your input!**


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